Safety device for elevators.



E. E.'TANNER.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS APPLICATION m5!) AUG-8.1917.

ly5sr=igvgya Patentmi Jam. 8,1918.

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EMIL IE. TANNER, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

sAEE'rY DEVICE Eon ELEvArons.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 8, 1918.

Application fi ed August'S, 1917. Serial No. 184,991.

To all whom it or 13 concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL E. TANNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in safety devices for elevators. The object of my invention is, first, to provide a simple and efficient device which will absolutely prevent an elevator from dropping when one or more of the suspension cables becomes accidentally broken; second, to provide a simple and efficient device which can be easily and quickly attached to any elevator now in use without materially changing the construct on of such elevator, or the elevator well in which such elevator is used.

My invention is further explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in. which Figure 1 represents a front view of my device attached to the upper side of an elevator, part broken away to better illustrate the interior construction, drawn on line 1 1 of Fig. 2.

Fig, 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, drawn on line 3'3 of Fig. 1, and 4 Fig. 4 is a front view of one side of the supporting mechanism, partly brokenaway.

Like parts are identified by the same reference numerals throughout the several views.

1 represents the upper portion of an elevator, and the same is adapted to be connected with the holding mechanism embodying my invention by the two wedge shaped members 2, 2. The lower ends of the wedge shaped members 2, 2 are connected with the upper member 1 of the elevator by a pair of bolts 3, or in any convenient manner. 4, 4 represent a pair of horizontally arranged bars, which bars are suspended from the operated mechanism of the elevator by a plurality of cables 5, 5, 5, 5.

Each of the bars 4, 4 is provided with two cables 5, 5, as shown in Fig. 1, and said cables are connected with the barbs 6, 6 through the slidable members 14 and plates 16, the ends of said cables being secured in the apertures 7, 7 in any convenient manner. The cables 5 are preferably passed beneath the rollers 8, 8, above the rollers 9,

9 beneath the rollers 10, and from thence over the rollers 11., whereby as said cables 5 are put under tension said barbs 6, 6 are brought out of contact with the vertical standards 12, 12, while the springs 13, 13, connected with said barbs, are compressed. Said springs 13, 13 are respectively supported upon slidable members 14, 14, and said members 14 are respectively supported at the respective ends of the bars 4, 4 by the brackets 15, 15 and plates 16, wh le motion is communicated from said slidable members 14, which are connected with the barbs 6, through said plates 16.

Thus, it is obvious that as said slidable members 14 are drawn rearwardly by the tens on of the cables 5, 5 the spiral springs 13 will be compressed, while said barbs 6 are drawn out of contact with the vertical standards 12, thereby permitting the elevator to be freely raised or lowered. When, however, one or more of said cables becomes accidentally broken the slidable members 14, connected with said cable, will be thrown outwardly by the recoil of the spiral springs 13, wherebv the barbs 6 connected with said broken cable will be caused to penetrate the vertical standards 12, motion being communicated from said slidable member 7 to said barb through said horizontal plates 16.

The respective outer ends of the barbs 6 are each provided with a bolt 17 against wh ch said plates 16 are adapted to bear as said plates are thrown outwardly by the recoil of said springs 13. As the elevator is moved downwardly a short distance after any one of said cables has been broken the wedge shaped members 2 are adapted to contact with the inner ends of said barbs 6, whereby said barbs are more forcibly driven into the surface of the vertical standards 12, and are prevented from being withdrawn therefrom until the broken cable or cables 5 have been restored.

The bars 4, 4 are provided at their respec tive ends with slots 19, 19 for the reception of the plates 16, which are adapted to move forwardly and backwardly therein with the forward and backward movement of said barbs. Said bars 4, 4 are retained in place upon the respective sides of the vertical standards 12 by a plurality of transversely arranged bolts or shafts 20.

It will, of course, be understood that the vertical standards 12 are preferably made of wood or any substance into which said barbs Gmay be caused to penetrate, by the V recoil of said springs 13 in case one or more of the cables 5 should become broken.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In a device of the described class, the

combination of an elevator, a pair of vertical columns respectively located on two opposing sides of said elevator, a horizontal member extending from one of said vertical columns to the other and having slidable bearing thereon, a barb carried by and located in each end of said horizontal member, springs for forcing said barbs outwardly in case of the breaking of one or more of the hoisting cables of said elevator, said barbs being adapted to penetrate said vertical standards,a plurality of hoisting cables, means connected with the lower ends of said cables for holding said barbs out of contact with said vertical columns, wedges for forcing said barbs outwardly and in engagement with said vertical columns in case any one of'sa1d hoisting cables is broken, and means for connecting said wedges with said elevator and said hoisting cables.

cables ofsaid elevator, said barbs being adapted to penetrate said vertical standards, a plurality of hoisting cables, means connected with the lower ends of said cables for holding said barbs outof contact with said vertical columns, and wedges cooperating with said springs for forcing saidbarbs outwardly and in engagement with said vertical columns, said wedges being connected to the elevator and saidhoist cables, and being adapted in case said cables break to descend with the elevator, and thereby'hold said barbs in rigid engagement with said vertical columns. 7

3. In a device of the described class, the combination of an elevator, a pair of vertical columns respectively located on two opposing sides of said elevator, a horizontal member extending from one of said vertical columns to the other and having slidable Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing Washington, D. 0.

bearing thereon, a. pair of wedges, a barb carried by andlocated in each end of said horizontal'member, springs for forcing said barbs outwardly in case of the breaking of one or more of. the hoisting cables of said elevator, said barbs being adapted to pene trate said vertical standards, a plurality of hoisting cables, means connected with the lower ends of said cables for holding said barbs out of contact with said vertical columns, means for connecting the lower ends of each of said cables with said barbs and with said wedges, said wedges being connect.

ed at their lower ends to said elevator, and so formed as to bear against the inner ends of said barbs, whereby in case said cable breaks said barbs will be forced outwardly and retained in 'ri id contact with said columns. Y

4. In a device ofthe described class, the combination of an elevator, a pair of vertical columns respectively. located on two opposing sides of said elevator, a horizontal member extending from one of said vertical columns to the other and having slidable bearing thereon, a pair of transversely arranged horizontal plates, each located respectively at each end of said horizontal member, slidable members and barbs, said horizontal plates being each provided with apertures for the reception of the outer ends of said slidable members, and a central aperture for the endsof a pair of barbs, springs earned by each of sa1d sl dable members for forcing sald barbs and transversely arranged plates outwardly, wherebysaid barbs are caused to penetrate said vertical standards in case any one of the hoistlng cables becomes broken, a plurality of hoisting cables,

a pair of wedges, said wedges being-con nected at their lower ends to said elevator,

and so formed as to bear against the inner ends of said barbs, said cables being connected to said slidable'members and said wedges, whereby in case said cables break said wedges will be drawn downwardly by the downward movement of the elevator, whereby their upper ends will be caused to bear against the inner ends of said barbs,

whereby said barbs will be forced outwardly and caused to engage said standards. 7

In testimony whereof I atlix my. signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EMIL E. TAN N ER.

Witnesses: V V

O. C. IVEBER, A. J. McKEarHAN.

the Commissioner of Patents. 

